Illusions of a Broken Mirror
by Mew Felicia
Summary: Why did Terra do the things she did? Was she really as heartless as people assume she was? An indepth look into Season 2's events from everyone's favorite blonde girl's perspective. Rated M for the future.


**_3/20/15_**

**Ahaha, I apologize for not going through with my promise of a new chapter by the end of last summer. Things have been crazy, and I've had neither the time nor will to work on this story much.**

**Looking at this first chapter is really embarrassing, as it was written back when I thought I could disguise my poor writing with an excess of unnecessary descriptions and adjectives. I'll do my best to edit Chapter 1 (soon, I swear), so that it's less painful to read but still maintains the same essence it originally had. I can't say when the next chapter will be out, but I can tell y'all that I will be posting the beginning of two new fics shortly- one that takes place in the middle of this story's continuity and will lead to some steamy Slerra action, and another that focuses on Beast Boy moving on from Terra.**

**Ah, this author's notes section is far too long now, but I think it's good to have a record of my updates. I may end up moving this to a separate chapter later on though.**

**_7/2/14_**

**Well, it's been two years and then some since I published this. I think my original reason for not updating was a combination of writersblock and the misplacement of the notebook that contained the beginning scraps of Chapter 2. I waited long in vain to locate that old notebook, but after years of it never resurfacing I suppose it's time to abandon that ancient book and write the chapter with what remnants I have stored in my head.**

**So, look forward to at least a chapter being published by the end of the summer? Perhaps? And maybe a few minor edits to the first chapter.**

**_3/18/12:_**

**Hello there! I meant to write a nice little introductory paragraph or whatnot the night I posted this, but due to the peer pressure of getting it uploaded before my friend of mine went to bed I did not end of doing so (also the reason for the even-crappier-than-the-rest last few paragraphs that I just edited somewhat to make a tad bit more decent).**

**Well, anyways. If you did not notice, this is my first ever actual completed chapter of a fanfiction despite the fact that I've had this account rotting away for the past 5 years. So please read and review afterwards so I can see how I'm doing so far! Enjoy~ (or you can claw your eyes out after you're done reading, whatever you decide best fits)**

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><p><em>He lied, he lied to me. He promised and he lied! He lied he lied he lied.<em>

That bitter thought echoed and pounded like a chant in time to Terra's rapid breathing and hasty marching. Once again, the slender blonde had conveyed her insecurities and ended up being betrayed by an individual she had permitted herself to confide in. _He lied to me, just like Slade told me he would. Slade was right, he was actually right... _A few salty drops of lukewarm water succeeded in freeing themselves from her wide eyes as Terra continued running sightlessly through the desolate desert scenery with no concrete destination in mind. Far from Beast Boy and the Titans; that was all that mattered. She couldn't believe that she'd allowed herself to become so distressed at the mere acknowledgment of her powers, that she had made the costly error of revealing her secret to Beast Boy in the first place. _Stupid, I'm just so stupid_, she reprimanded mentally.

Pitiful whimpers escaped her small lips as she reflected on what good it had been to go to Jump City; the reason she had felt so compelled to interact with the Teen Titans. What outcome did she possibly expect to arise from befriending them? Terra herself couldn't provide a genuine and adequate answer to ease her heart & consciousness but somewhere in the hindermost part of her mind she knew she had hoped that she would be able to conceal her past. Subconsciously she had held onto childish ways and yearned to forget that she had never caused harm to anyone. Most importantly, Terra had wished to make believe that she had complete control.

_Why can't things ever go right?_ It wasn't that she had necessarily felt as if the Titans were going to do what some alleged friends and saviors had done before by refusing to associate with her once her handicap was found out. Although that was a possibility, Terra was moderately certain that they wouldn't do that. Instead, she assumed they would first attempt to assist her, humor her for a while and then finally tire of her. She figured that they would deem her nothing more than a good-for-nothing broken weapon, the same as the majority of people she had come across on her journey had.

Dust clouds rose up, making her blue eyes water more than they already were. The whirl of dirt caused her to cough as she gradually slowed her panicky gait to a jog and crumpled to the ground. Exhausted as Terra was, she sat there pushing her grimy hair aside and uttered out some grumbles in regard to her missing hair clip while rubbing her foggy eyes to make the rock formations around her come into focus. Despite the shadows of night she almost instantly recognized the surrounding cliffs as ones that were somewhat near the ledge which housed the cave she had stayed in the night before. Her muscles ached not only from her fleeing the Tower but from her battle with Slade earlier and the fatigued girl wanted nothing more than to pass out right there. Knowing that the cave was a much more safer shelter, Terra sniffed her dripping nose and dragged herself the extra half mile to the cave's opening.

She was completely and utterly alone now, confined in that musty cave with only her slowly dieing flashlight illuminating the walls. Terra slumped to the floor in a huddle on the familiar frigid ground and released the furious tears that she had tried in vain to keep from decreasing during the evening's events. The geomancer had worked herself into a frenzy; what was she going to do now, where could she possibly go to next? She was weeping now at the prospect remaining a slave to her earthen abilities for the rest of her days and the idea of everlastingly being the cause of disasters that harmed so many people. Like Slade said, Terra truly had meant to benefit society but it was her powers that always ended up controlling her, causing all the dreadful destruction.

Terra stopped sobbing long enough to sigh in pity at her sorrows and misfortune. No one could ever help her, she decided. No one. She would just have to proceed with the lifestyle of traveling from place to place with a pressing desire that nobody would be able to figure out that those earthquakes and whatnot were her doing. She experienced a sort a numbing sensation, feeling almost at ease as she accepted this fate; it felt good to have a definite resolution and her mind had become hazy as tired weariness began to take its effect on her. She curled up into a ball, arranging her head on the hard stone in the most cozy position possible and as her wet eyes feeling heavier than ever, Terra began to drift off. She was rapidly awoken from her slumber when a sudden thump from outside alerted her danger senses, but when she tumbled over to face the cave's entranceway her unadjusted sky-blue orbs saw only the sparkling stars. That was peculiar but then again perhaps she had imagined it the perplexed girl wondered as she sat up and squeezed her skinned knees close to her. Either way, she was awake now and the prominent sensation prickling throughout her skin continued while she groped around the cave floor for her flashlight, almost as if...

"Hello, Terra."_...almost like someone's there. _Her thought had completed itself despite Slade's abrupt appearance and her heart dropped briefly in both disappointment & astonishment before gasping at the person who spoke from the shadows. How in the world had this man found her? _What does he even want with me? _she inquired asSlade casually strolled towards her. Somehow Terra knew that he was smirking under his mask and although her heart was beating rather quickly, for some reason her fear of him had weakened slightly. Terra supposed that some of the shock factor of Slade's creepy and omniscient presence had worn off due to meeting him hours before. "Judging by the fact that you're sleeping in a cave, I can assume that the green Titan _did_ in fact break his promise?" he asked with a hint of smugness in his voice.

"What's it to you?" Terra snapped, turning away. She didn't want to discuss this with him. Not now. She didn't want him to be here; she just wanted to sleep away her troubles and cease to remember all that had occurred. He placed a gray gloved hand on her shoulder in an effort to give the illusion of sympathy, but she yanked away. "S-seriously... what do you even want?", she demanded, her voice cracking as she tried to suppress her tears. The blonde girl was now very distraught which caused the encompassing earth to shiver slightly and some pebbles ascended a few inches above the ground. _Why can't I figure out how to control it why can't I get this right?_

"Now, now child... We don't want this whole place coming down now do we?" Slade asked as he inched even closer to her, uncomfortably invading her personal space. "I can't imagine that you'd want to have another death on your hands." That was a direct blow to her heart and caused the small rocks to crash to ground & against her better judgment she began whimpering again. In response the older man bent forward, slowly lifting her head up with one hand and wiped away a tear that was sliding down one flushed cheek. "My dear, I can assist you if that's what you want. I can help you solve this little problem of yours; ease the worries that constantly plagues you. Complete control over your powers, that is what I can give you. You certainly have the potential, you just require someone to guide you along the way." He paused and carelessly spun a lock of stringy yet soft golden hair around his finger for a few moments before continuing. "I can teach you Terra. Teach you things that no one else possibly could."

Terra brow furrowed and she nibbled on her bottom lip as she considered the offer. Why did Slade want to become her mentor? Hadn't the Teen Titans warned her of his treacherous ways? Perhaps they had been mistaken, suppose he wasn't as dreadful and monstrous as everyone had thought. After all, the masked man had sought her out here in the desert despite her declining the proposition earlier and it wasn't as if she could trust the Titans anymore anyways. AndSlade _had _been correct in forecasting Beast Boy's actions and he honestly did seem as if he desired to instruct her on how to master the art of earth moving. Still the scrawny girl hesitated; nobody had ever actually agreed to teach her and kept their word when doing so, but once again Terra deduced that his chasing after her implied that Slade was sincere about wanting to train her. It seemed to Terra that he probably was the only one who could help her. After pondering all this, the choice was clear: she would allow herself to be taken under Slade's wing for a brief period of time, at least until she was educated on how to work her powers. There was no harm in that she decided, none at all.

She drew in a sharp breath and opened her mouth to speak, adrenalin pumping blood swiftly through her veins. "...Uh, I guess if you're willing to teach me then I s'pose I can't refuse that considering that everyone else can't be bothered with dealing with me," the twiggy adolescent declared with an air of false certitude and assurance. She nudged a pile of dirt with the edge of her boot while wrangling in vain to inhibit her hair from enshrouding her sapphire eyes as she tilted her head. Terra had decided that peering at the ground was a far more preferable action than to acknowledge Slade's calculating eye as he leered at her. She braced herself for his reply, half-expecting him to establish himself as a genuine & certified villain by pulverizing her hopes, to explain that this was nothing but a cruel jest.

Terra's heart jumped and she released the breath that she hadn't known that she was holding at his next words. "Yes child," the man drawled, "You will become my apprentice and learn all that is required to develop you into the diamond that you truly are," he told her, alluding to their earlier encounter in the mine. Relief flooded through her, causing her tense muscles to relax; she was going to finally be liberated of this painstaking curse. No more worrying about injuring anyone she thought, no more guilt. Terra glanced up from the mound of soil and found that Slade had already slid outside the confinement of the cave and was striding down the barren desert path like he was in midst of completing a mission. He ceased this movement momentarily and swiveled back to glance at the pitiful sight that was his latest student. "Well child. Are you coming or not?" he demanded, an anxious chill shivering down her spine in response to the finalization of that very crucial decision. A look combined of fortitude & loyalty was plastered on the young girl's facial features as she nodded curtly before racing like an earnest, eager puppy after the agile man.


End file.
